The great hall of Blackthorn Keep thrummed with restrained tension as the morning sun slanted through high arched windows, casting long shadows across the ancient oak table. Leon sat at the head, his presence commanding silence from the assembled council—his most trusted warriors, elders, and advisors. Akira stood near the back wall, arms crossed, refusing the seat Leon had gestured to beside him. Jaden, bandaged and pale but steady on his feet after Mia's healing, hovered close to her side. Lara perched on a bench nearby, legs swinging, her sassy gaze darting between speakers.
Kai stood at Leon's right, brooding as ever, his dark eyes scanning every face for signs of deceit. Mia lingered in the doorway, her healer's robes a soft contrast to the armored figures around the table. Zara sat elegantly to Leon's left, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the wood, a picture of composed loyalty.
The topic was war.
"Scouts confirm Ironclaw forces massing along the southern river," Kai reported, voice gravel-rough. "Viktor leads the vanguard—three hundred at least, with more arriving daily. Roxas isn't bluffing. He intends to march within the week."
Murmurs rippled through the council. An elder wolf with gray streaking his beard leaned forward. "Silverfang's fall weakened our southern alliances. If Ironclaw takes the riverlands, they'll cut off our trade routes. We cannot allow it."
"All because of one she-wolf?" another advisor muttered, glancing toward Akira. The words hung like a challenge.
Leon's fist slammed the table, cracking the wood. Silence fell instantly. "Speak of her that way again, and you'll answer to my claws." His voice was a lethal whisper, golden eyes flashing. "Princess Akira and her brother are under my protection. The mate bond has chosen. Any threat to her is a threat to this pack—to me."
Akira felt heat rise in her cheeks, equal parts anger and unwelcome thrill. The bond pulsed in response to his declaration, a traitorous warmth spreading through her chest. She stepped forward, voice cutting clear.
"This war isn't just about me. Roxas has always craved expansion. He destroyed my pack for refusing to yield territory. Now he uses an old, broken engagement as excuse. Don't pretend this is noble defense of a mate claim."
Zara's lips curved in a faint smile. "Yet here we are, risking Blackthorn blood for Silverfang remnants. Perhaps negotiation—"
"No," Leon snarled, turning on his sister. "Roxas understands only strength. We meet him on the field."
Akira watched the exchange, unease prickling her skin. Zara's suggestion felt too reasonable, too timed. But Leon's obsession blinded him to subtleties; he saw only the threat to what he considered his.
Jaden tugged her sleeve quietly. "Aki, I... I saw something last night. When Viktor's men chased me." His voice was barely audible. "One of them wore a Blackthorn pendant. Hidden under his cloak."
Her blood ran cold. A traitor within these walls? She glanced at Kai, who had overheard and was now watching Jaden with narrowed eyes. Before she could press her brother further, Leon rose.
"Preparations begin today. Kai, double the border patrols. Mia, ready the infirmary for wounded. We ride at dawn in three days."
The council dispersed with purposeful strides, leaving only the inner circle. Leon approached Akira, his expression softening fractionally.
"You should rest," he said, voice low. "Jaden too. The keep is fortified—you're safe here."
"Safe?" She arched a brow. "With your sister openly questioning my presence? With Roxas closing in?"
His hand lifted, hesitating before brushing a stray lock from her face. The touch sent sparks dancing along her nerves. "I will handle Zara. And Roxas will never touch you."
The intensity in his gaze made her breath catch. For a dangerous moment, she almost leaned into him, the bond urging surrender. But she pulled back.
"I don't need handling, Leon. I need allies, not a possessive king."
A muscle ticked in his jaw, but he nodded. "Then join the war council fully. Your knowledge of Roxas's tactics could turn the tide."
She considered, then inclined her head. "For my brother. And for vengeance."
As the day wore on, Akira walked the keep's battlements with Lara, the wind whipping their hair. Below, warriors drilled in the courtyard, steel clashing under Leon's watchful eye.
"He's different with you," Lara said, grinning. "Softer. Scary, but softer."
Akira snorted. "He's a storm in wolf form. Obsessed."
"True mates are supposed to be obsessed." Lara bumped her shoulder. "Maybe stop fighting it?"
Akira shook her head, gaze distant. "Roxas taught me what obsession leads to. Destruction."
That evening, in the quiet of the infirmary, Mia finished checking Jaden's wounds. The boy slept now, exhausted. Akira lingered as the healer packed away salves.
"You knew my mother," Akira said suddenly. It wasn't a question. Mia's knowing glances had hinted at deeper ties.
The healer paused, her gentle face tightening. "I did. She saved my life once, during the border skirmishes years ago. Silverfang blood runs strong in you both—ancient, powerful."
Akira leaned closer. "What aren't you telling me?"
Mia hesitated, then drew a small pendant from her pocket—an intricate silver moon entwined with thorns. "Your mother entrusted this to me before the fall. She said if you ever came to Blackthorn, to give it to the one who bore the true mate mark."
Akira's hand went to her collarbone, where a faint birthmark had darkened since meeting Leon—a thorn-wrapped moon. The bond's manifestation.
Mia pressed the pendant into her palm. "It unlocks something. A bloodline gift. But it comes with danger. Roxas hunted your family not just for land—for this power."
Akira stared at the pendant, pulse racing. A hidden legacy? Power Roxas feared enough to slaughter for?
Footsteps approached—Leon, seeking her as always. She slipped the pendant into her pocket just as he entered.
"Dinner," he said simply, though his eyes searched her face. "Then we talk strategy."
She nodded, mind whirling. As they walked the corridors, a servant hurried past, bowing low. But Akira caught a glimpse of something in the servant's hand—a sealed letter bearing the Ironclaw seal.
Her gaze snapped to Leon, but he hadn't noticed, too focused on her. The traitor Jaden saw—could it be closer than they thought?
Later, in the shadowed library where maps were spread for planning, Zara entered unannounced. She placed a hand on Leon's shoulder, voice honeyed.
"Brother, a private word? About alliances."
Leon waved Akira to continue studying the maps. As Zara led him aside, Akira strained to listen.
"...the elders doubt your judgment," Zara whispered urgently. "This obsession clouds you. Perhaps if the princess were... removed from the equation—"
Leon's growl was immediate. "Never suggest that again."
But Zara's next words froze Akira's blood.
"I have proof she cannot be trusted. A message from Roxas—offering peace if we deliver her and the boy."
Leon stiffened. "You spoke to Roxas?"
"Only to protect the pack," Zara insisted. "He claims Akira hides a weapon that could destroy us all."
Akira's hand closed around the hidden pendant. The plot twist struck like lightning: Zara wasn't just scheming for power. She was actively negotiating with Roxas—betraying her own brother to eliminate the "threat" Akira posed.
And if Leon discovered it now, blood would spill within the keep before Roxas even marched.
Akira slipped from the library, heart pounding. She had to warn someone—Kai? Mia?—before Zara twisted the truth further.
But as she turned a corner, a strong hand clamped over her mouth, pulling her into darkness. Viktor's scent hit her—cold iron and malice.
"
Got you at last, princess," he hissed. "Roxas sends his regards."
The keep's walls had been breached. The enemy was already inside.